aftercare guide

Tattoo Aftercare

Version 1

Issued 22/10/2026

Draft. Not yet approved by the studio's qualified practitioner. Do not issue to clients.

Your tattoo is a healing wound. Good aftercare protects your skin and the artwork. Follow the dressing instructions your artist documented for you: they override anything generic below.

Your dressing

Your artist recorded which dressing was used and the removal time on your consent record and in your portal.

Standard cling or absorbent dressing: remove after the time your artist told you, usually within a few hours. Do not re-wrap.
Adhesive film dressing (for example a breathable second-skin film): can be left on for the period your artist stated, typically several days, unless it leaks, lifts or irritates. Remove it in a warm shower, peeling slowly and pulling the film back on itself rather than upwards.

Cleaning

Wash your hands before touching the tattoo.
Gently wash with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap. Do not scrub.
Pat dry with clean disposable paper towel. Do not use a shared towel.
Once the tattoo is dry, apply a thin layer of a suitable fragrance-free moisturiser if your artist advised one. Thin is better than thick. A tattoo that stays wet or sticky is being smothered.
Do not use antiseptic creams, ointments or anything your artist has not recommended unless a doctor or pharmacist tells you to.

What to avoid while healing (usually two to four weeks)

Picking, scratching or peeling flakes and scabs.
Swimming, baths, hot tubs, saunas and anything that soaks the tattoo.
Direct sun and sunbeds. Once healed, use sunscreen to keep colours bright.
Tight clothing and friction over the area, and letting pets sleep on it.
Touching it with unwashed hands or letting others touch it.
Heavy sweating and hard exercise in the first few days, and shaving over the area until it has healed.

What is normal

Redness, mild swelling, oozing of ink and clear fluid in the first day or two, then flaking and itching. Colours look dull while a new layer of skin forms, then brighten. Some itching is normal. Keep your hands off it and gently moisturise instead.

Important: Seek prompt medical advice from your GP or NHS 111 if you notice spreading redness, increasing swelling, heat, worsening pain, pus, red streaks, a bad smell, a fever or you feel unwell. A rash, raised itchy bumps or blistering that appears in the tattoo and does not settle may be an allergic reaction: see your GP. Go to A&E or call 999 if you feel seriously ill. Tell them you had a tattoo and when. We cannot diagnose or prescribe, but please let us know too.

Check in with us

Send a photo through your portal at about two weeks and when healed. Contact the studio with any concerns about how it is healing. Once it is fully healed, see our guide on Aftercare for Healed Work and Touch-ups.

Practitioner to confirm: that the dressing, cleaning and moisturiser advice matches the products and method the studio actually uses, and the healing period the studio quotes.

Questions? Email thedesk@rebelliousink.tattoo. For anything medical, contact NHS 111 or your GP. In an emergency, call 999.